MASS ORGANIZATIONS TAKING PART IN ORGANIZING ELECTIONS IN BEIJING

Beijing, July 5 (ANTARA) - The overseas elections committee (PPLN) in Beijing is involving a number of mass organizations in making the upcoming Indonesian presidential elections a success.

"We have asked a number of mass organizations to take part in making the elections a success by providing tents and selling various Indonesian foods and delicacies," PPLN chairman for Beijing Krishna Adi Poetranto said here on Sunday.

He said that the PPLN had asked a number of Indonesian mass organizations in Beijing to give their ideas in making the elections a success.

He said that the idea to involve mass organizations was based on the experience when the legislative election was held last April 9, 2009 in which many voters in Beijing after casting their votes were looking for Indonesian foods.

"During the legislative elections, a number of mass organizations sold Indonesian foods. Their foods were soon finished and bought by voters. So, we will organize the same thing in Wednesday's election," Poetranto said.

He said that the election was also expected to serve as a forum of nurturing relations, exchange of ideas and various other experiences among Indonesian citizens in Beijing.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) will organize a presidential election next Wednesday. Three presidential candidates are to contest in the July 8 polls for the 2009-2014 term of office.

The three presidential and vice presidential pairs are Megawati Soekarnoputri and her running mate Prabowo Subianto (Mega-Pro), Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his pair Boediono (SBY-Boediono), and Jusuf Kalla who runs for president with Wiranto (JK-WIN).

Megawati is former president and leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party - Struggle (PDIP) while her mate Prabowo is the chairman of the Greater Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) party and a former commander of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad).

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is the incumbent president and chief patron of the Democratic Party (PD) while his running mate Boediono is a former governor of Bank Indonesia, the central bank.

Jusuf Kalla is the incumbent vice president and chairman of the Golkar Party while Wiranto, a former commander of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) and chairman of the People's Conscience Party (Hanura).***1***